Tympaki, Crete: Visiting a hidden village in the Messara Plain (Part 1)

A few weeks ago I visited the village of Tympaki, in South Crete.
It is not a tourist destination, but it is close to several places - so it is possible that you pass through this village if you visit South Crete.

It does not look touristic, it does have a variety in people living there, as it is mainly a village that produces many vegetables and fruit, so it has both locals and workers from other countries.

Overall, it was worth the visit! Let's take a look at what I saw during my full-day trip!

Authentic, but also with touches of modernity and really a lively village full of people of all ages.

Tympaki is nestled in one of the most fertile plains on the island, and this place combines history, agriculture, and everyday Cretan life in a way that feels refreshingly real.

In this part, we’ll explore where Tympaki is, the story behind its name, and some interesting historical facts that shaped the village into what it is today.

We left early in the morning, because the village is more than one hour distance from where I live.
I visited Tympaki in the first days of April, and the African dust we had, was not totally vanished. The images you will see do not have blue skies, but this is only a phenomenon that may happen once or twice a year, so when you look at the photos, please think of a different sky :)

There was still snow in the mountains and this was our point of reference. The road to drive to Tympaki is not so difficult.

Tympaki is located in southern Crete, in the wide and fertile Messara Plain, one of the most important agricultural regions on the island. It is located somewhat 60 kilometers from Heraklion and 10 kilometers from Matala, located at the south part of the island.

Why do you think it is called Tympaki? It does not resemble one of our known words...

As I did some web-digging, I found out that the name “Tympaki” (Τυμπάκι) is believed to come from the Greek word “τύμπανο” (tympano), meaning drum.

There are a couple of theories behind this:

• One suggests that the area’s flat, circular terrain resembles a drum.
• Another connects the name to ancient burial mounds or raised earth formations (also called tympanoi), which were common in earlier settlements.
• Some locals also associate the name with the echoing sounds across the open plain, especially in older times when the area was less developed.

I asked a few people, and noone really knew the reason :)

Tympaki is a large village.
As I stayed almost alone in the area and started to explore, I immediately wanted to find some reference points so that I would not get lost.

I passed by a beautiful door, but the house around it was a bit weared off.

After a few steps, I saw the church of the village.

It seemed like a good starting point, but also potentially finishing point.

Two churches stood side by side.

As I read, it was the Church of Agios Titos, s one of the central churches of the village, dedicated to Saint Titus, the first bishop of Crete. Churches dedicated to Agios Titos are especially meaningful on the island, as he is considered a key figure in spreading Christianity in Crete.

This looked like a newly built church, while next to it was a smaller, but also older church that had very interesting architectural elements.

I will need to get back to the buildings because this older church of Agios Titos was built in the 1800s and has a very interesting history

Surroundings and a more panoramic views
(you see the color of the sky which is gray? As I mentioned, there was still dust in the atmosphere)

Some flowers around were a great contrast to the gray

At the village center you will see all kind of houses & cafeterias
Some traditional, some modern, some abandoned...
But there were many different spots to have a coffee, a snack or a meal

There were also cats.
Some beautiful and clean, like the one in the photo - but we also saw some that were not doing so well and we tried offering some food for the day.

In the city center:

An old car that I am sure had seen days of glory!

I am always noticing old houses
The first one used to be a private school, apparently not any more

Not sure what this building was, but I found it to be very impressive

Old houses are very special. It seems as there is a certain aura around them.
Nature understands it and is growing around

Imagine how this house will look when evrything is in green!

Guess what, I found some more googly eyes + a mouth!
How cute is this!

And I will be closing this post in .. blue, I would not want to tire you more with images
Stay tuned for the next part and as always, thanks for supporting!